a.d._510_n_ok Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 my son's '81 Prelude will start and run like a champ if it has sat for a few days. it will run like a sewing machine for about two minutes and then die. after it dies, it will not start again for two - three days. on that third day, it will fire up like new again. I know it's electrical but damn I'm lost. help.........???? Quote Link to comment
DAT510 Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 It's Jesus!! and on the third day, HE LIVES!! 2 Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 You think it's electrical, so it's not getting spark at all? Does it have an ignitor unit with the distributor like later models? I've had those go bad and behave similarly. Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Yep, i have worked on a 1981 first gen prelude. That sounds like fuel to me, not electrical. But could be either. First thing I would do is check the choke. Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 1981 Prelude has a Hitachi D4R distributor, like a Nissan Sentra distributor. The ignitors rarely go bad, but pull the cap and look at it. Maybe you'll see corrosion or a non-Hitachi stamp on the ignitor. Quote Link to comment
a.d._510_n_ok Posted July 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 thanks, ya'll! triple digit heat is keeping me away from it at the moment. Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 fuel problem i think Quote Link to comment
oldskoolvws Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 not familiar, but injected or carb? If injected, I'm thinking pump, accumulator or filter. If carb, filter, pump or carb. Quote Link to comment
nemesis Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 if when it wont start you still have spark-its absolutely a fuel problem. i suspect you prob have a carb car-remember-they have TWO fuel filters! small metal near carb- and large one on firewall. ck for fuel if it wont start after replacing filters-last thing it might be is fuel pump pick up in tank clogging if theres a lot of sediment in tank bottom. Quote Link to comment
a.d._510_n_ok Posted August 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 I bought a Haynes manual for the thing and discovered it has a fuel pump relay but it says that if the relay goes bad "it must be renewed and cannot be replaced".....!?! Whut 'n th' hell does that mean!?! Quote Link to comment
831Sunny Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 main relay.. Just goto a PnP and pull one off Usually on drivers side and I think it's a 8mm or maybe a 10 mm bolt Quote Link to comment
metalmonkey47 Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Have you confirmed it's fuel/spark issue yet? Not hard. Wait until it's behaving badly, take a can of starting fluid and spray into the carb. If it starts, fuel! Quote Link to comment
831Sunny Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 main relay common prob on hondas, you can even pop out your old one and re-solder the points.. Quote Link to comment
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